KATHMANDU, Feb 25: An impressive six-wicket haul from Nary Thapa helped the Nepal national women’s cricket team to register its third win in the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Region Qualifier, defeating Hong Kong by four wickets in Thailand on Sunday.
Thapa was impressive with the bowling as she picked up six wickets taking her tournament tally to 12 wickets in four games.
In Nepal’s fourth match of the qualifiers at the ground of Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Hong Kong won the toss, elected to bat first, and presented a minimal target of 63 runs for the loss of eight wickets in 20 overs. In reply, Nepal completed the chase hitting 63 runs for the loss of six wickets in 18.3 overs.
Earlier, only three Hong Kong batswomen managed to take their tally to double figures with Thapa claiming five back-to-back wickets for Nepal with the score being 35-5 within 12.4 overs at one point.
Thapa’s brilliant bowling propels Nepal to second victory
Marina Lamplough hit the highest runs for Hong Kong off 24 balls which included a four before she was bowled out by Sita Rana Magar. Likewise, opener Yasmin Daswani scored 16 runs off 29 deliveries including a four, while the other opener Bella Poon hit 11 runs off 24 balls with a four.
Mehreen Yousaf hit unbeaten eight runs off 16 balls with a four, while Kary Chan, Mariko Hill and Jenefer Davies scored two runs each.
Yee Shan To and Jasmine Titmuss were out for ducks.
Thapa was the pick of the bowlers in the match as she pocketed six wickets giving away eight runs in four overs. Likewise, Magar took a wicket conceding seven runs in four overs.
In reply, only two Nepali batswomen reached the double figures, but that was enough to get a win after a commanding bowling performance from the team.
Apsari Begam hit the highest 24 runs off 35 deliveries which included three boundaries, while she was supported by an unbeaten spell from Sarita Magar who hit 16 runs off 30 balls. Also, captain Rubina Chhetri scored six runs, while opener Kajol Shrestha and Indu Barma added four runs each. Thapa was unbeaten on one run, while the other opener Sita went back to the pavilion for a duck.
Titmuss was the standout bowler for Hong as she took three wickets giving away 11 runs in 3.3 overs, while Chan, To and Hill claimed a wicket each for the losing side.
Thapa was named the player of the match. In the other matches played on the same day, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) registered a 27-run win over China to stay second, while the host Thailand was intact on the top position with a nine-wicket victory over Kuwait.
With the win, Nepal now has six points from four games and is in the fourth place, while Thailand is top with eight points from four games. Also, the UAE is second with eight points from five matches, while Malaysia, two points from four games, is out of contention to qualify. Hong Kong and Kuwait, both yet to register a point after playing four matches, are out of the contention as well.
